Environment vs Nutrition: is it always a trade off?

As we’ve already covered in previous posts, the environmental impact of owning a dog can be quite significant. Most studies conducted on these impacts to date have tended to focus on the pet food industry in particular, with some alarming statistics. For example, one study, published in Nature journal in 2022, indicated that a dog the size of a Daschund which is fed only wet food produces nearly the same amount of CO2 emissions as the average Brazilian citizen. Whilst a study conducted in the US has suggested that dog food could be responsible for 25-30% of the animal production impact in the US associated with fossil fuels, land use and waters.

Whilst the comparisons and actual calculations may vary (and indeed, some experts suggest treating these measurements with caution, as they are often calculated using figures associated with human grade meat, rather than the by products that tend to go into pet food), the reality is that feeding our dogs does have a significant environmental cost. Therefore, any environmentally conscious dog owner looking to reduce the environmental paw print of their dog may want to examine their food choices first and foremost when it comes to thinking about where to make a change.

The picture is, however, complicated, when it comes to measuring the environmental benefits and impacts of different types of dog food, as we also have to balance this against dietary requirements (for dogs with allergies, or on vet advised diets) and taste and enjoyment for our dogs (as well, of course, as price and convenience for us as dog owners). Indeed, something we hear a lot when we talk to dog owners about environmentally friendly food choices for their dogs is the idea that you can’t be both environmentally friendly in your food choices and have the best in nutrition.

On the whole, here at Jess Fox and Hound the Dog Grocer we don’t think this has to be the case. However we do know that there is a lot of anxiety attached to rethinking your dog’s food, particularly if you’ve got a fussy, or sensitive eater.

Therefore, in order to help you think about the choices you are making for your dog, we’ve pulled together some information below, which will help you explore the different options for your dog, and which provides information about both the environmental and nutritional impacts of your different choices. And if you want more information, please do pop us an email, or come see us in store and we’d be more than happy to have a conversation with you to help you make some decisions.

Dog Food Type According to Environmental Impact

There have been some good studies produced over the last five years which looks at how different types of dog food (e.g. wet/raw/dry) are rated in terms of environmental impact.

One particularly comprehensive study (conducted by researchers in Brazil) which compared the environmental impacts of different dog foods types according to a range of factors (e.g. CO2 production, land use, water use). What the study found was that dry dog foods (e.g. kibble) were responsible for far less CO2 emissions, and used less land and water than either wet or commercial homemade (e.g. raw/fresh) feeds. Generally speaking, wet food used 4 times more water and land, and produced 6 times more CO2 than dry, and commercial homemade foods sat in between dry and wet for these figures. A precise breakdown of these figures can be found in the original study.

However, this study was based on majority meat based diets which, as we know, are among the most environmentally harmful for humans and dogs. Therefore, another consideration for environmentally conscious dog owners is which protein source to use for their dogs.

Dog Food According to Protein Source

Like humans, all dogs need protein to survive, however just like humans, protein doesn’t only come from meat! Dogs are biological omnivores, which means they can live perfectly healthily  on vegetarian and vegan diets. And one study, published in 2022, even suggested that dogs on a nutritionally complete vegan diet may be healthier than those that use meat as their main protein source. Vegetarian and vegan food also has the added advantage of being significantly better for the planet, as the carbon emissions associated with producing vegetarian and vegan food is up to 70% less than that associated with a high meat diet. 

However we know that what we feed our dogs is often a personal choice as much as anything, and not everyone will want to their dog to exist on a solely vegetarian or vegan diet. Another option, if you don’t want to restrict your dogs to a vegetarian only diet, but are looking to lower the environmental impact of your dog’s food choices, would be to consider introducing them to insect based feeds instead. Insect based feed not only has the advantage of being a fantastic source of nutrition for our dogs (as this study here has demonstrated, insects are rich in protein, high quality fats and minerals), it also has the advantage of being naturally hypoallergenic and is recommended by an increasing number of vets as a ‘novel’ protein for dogs that have allergies and sensitivities to try. Added to this is the earth saving impacts of feeding insect protein to your dogs; insect based proteins produce up to 100 times fewer emissions than cattle and pigs and uses far less land and water than all meat and dairy production (which means more land space that can be used for environment saving initiatives in the future).

Despite the squeamishness we often have in the West towards eating insects, insect based food is also a winner with our dogs when it comes to taste too! One of the leading manufacturers of insect dog food, Yora, is so confident about the flavour winning nature of their food that they offer a zero waste 100% money back guarantee for all their dog food. So if you’re curious about insect foods, pop by our store and pick up some samples to try!

What is clear from the above, and from all of the studies that look at at environmental impacts, is that feeding your dogs a dry, vegetarian/vegan/insect based diet is, overwhelmingly, the most environmentally friendly choice you can make for your dog. However we know that this may not seem like the most popular/appealing choice to dog owners, particularly if you are concerned about nutrition, which brings us onto the next section.

Dog Food Type According to Digestibility and Nutrition

First things first, to be clear, we are not qualified pet nutritionists at the Dog Grocer, and so if you have a dog with medical issues, or where nutrition has been identified as a key issue for them, you should always consult your vet or a nutritionist before making any changes to their diet.

However our founder, Jess, has attended courses on dog nutrition, and many of our team have done extensive reading on the topic. What is below is a ranking of dog food type according to digestibility (from least digestible to most digestible), which has been provided to Jess and her team by those who are experts.

Digestibility here refers to how easy it is for us to get the nutrients we need from our food. So the more digestible your dog’s food, the more likely it is that their digestive system will be able to extract the maximal nutritional benefit from that food once it hits their stomachs. However this ranking should come with caution; just because a food is digestible, this does not automatically mean it is nutritious e.g. you could buy a food type that is high on the digestibility scale, but if the nutritional content of that food is low, then your dog won’t get any more out of it than a food that is harder for them to digest, but which has a high nutritional value.

We’d always recommend looking carefully at the nutritional value of the food that you buy for your dogs, and consulting a qualified nutritionist if you are unsure about what your dogs needs might be. At Jess Fox & Hound The Dog Grocer we only stock food that is nutritionally complete and so in that sense you can be confident that regardless of what food type you prefer for your dog, you will be buying foods that can give your dog all the nutrition they need. And if you want to know more about exactly what kind of nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy and happy in the long term, check out our upcoming blog post on dog nutrition to find out more!

4. Dry Food/‘Kibble’

Although a popular and convenient dog food (85% of all dog food sold in the UK is dry), standard (e.g. cooked at high temperatures) dry dog food is actually the least digestible of the options out there, as it takes more work for your dog’s digestive system to be able to break down dried kibble and extract all the nutrients from it than it does from other foods.

That doesn’t mean its all bad however! Dry dog food has been fed to our dogs for decades now, and plenty of dogs thrive on it. Dry dog food also has the added bonus of being convenient (its easy to transport around and take on holiday), safe (no risk of salmonella or bacteria borne disease as everything is fully cooked) and suitable for many vet prescribed diets (e.g. low purine, low fat diets are primarily available as dried).

Dry foods also have the added advantage of being available in nutritionally complete form, so you know that when feeding dry your dog will be getting all the core vitamins and minerals that it needs and you don’t need to worry about adding supplements to their diet to ensure they stay healthy.

3. Wet food

Again, wet food (e.g. tinned/in pouches) is a popular choice for many dog owners, with approximately 41% of dogs in the UK being on some kind of wet based diet. As with dry food, wet food is normally nutritionally complete (although always be sure to check the nutritional value on whichever brand you buy), appropriate for vet prescribed diets and a convenient way to feed your dogs. Wet food also has the advantage of being slightly more digestible than dry food, so they will get more nutritional value from what they eat. However, as per the previous section, wet food can be among the worst in terms of environmental impact, so may not necessarily want to be your first choice if environment is your main consideration (unless you go for a vegetarian or insect based wet food as discussed below).

2. Raw

A raw diet has the advantage of being more digestible than either kibble or wet food and certainly has become more popular in recent years amongst dog owners. However owners that feed raw to their dogs need to be careful about ensuring nutritional completeness for their dogs as not all raw feeds contain all the essential minerals and vitamins required for a healthy dog, and sometimes additives (such as shrimp toppings, kelp or other things) have to be introduced to ensure your dog is getting everything they need from their feed. Some raw feeds (e.g. Natur Raw’s ‘Forage’ range) are available in nutritionally complete formats, which takes the guesswork out of feeding raw and means you can generally be confident that whatever you give your best pal, they’re getting all the nutrients they need from that diet. If you decide to go down the ‘DIY’ raw format then we always advise consulting a nutritionist so you can be aware of what essential vitamins and minerals might need adding to your dog’s plate (amino acids and  Vitamin D are common ones that DIY raw often overlooks).

Finally, owners considering switching to raw should be sceptical of some of the marketing hype that has surrounded this food type in recent years. Claims that raw is a more ‘natural’ way to feed your dog (because it’s supposed to be based on the eating habits of wolves) are unsubstantiated and overlook the fact that the biology of domesticated dogs is differs significantly from that of wolves, so don’t feel pressured into feeding your dog raw unless that really feels like the right choice for you.

From an environmental point of view, because raw feed is heavily based around a meat only diet, it’s also higher on the list of CO2 producing diets for your dog (particularly if compared to an insect or vegetarian based dry food), so may not be your preferred option if that is what matters most to you.

If you feel raw is best for your dog then we at Jess Fox and Hound The Dog Grocer are fully supportive of this and will happily talk to you about some of the options we have in store!

1. Lightly cooked fresh

Top of the charts for digestibility is lightly cooked fresh food! This has become a significant trend in recent years thanks to brands like Butternut Box and Tuggs, and interestingly, fresh food is more likely to be what we would have fed our canine companions 100 years ago, when dogs normally lived off the scraps of the main household. Dogs that struggle with allergies, or digestive issues, can do very well on lightly cooked fresh food (even better than on raw, which some dogs just don’t like). As with raw food, dog owners should be careful about ensuring nutritional completeness as not all fresh foods are nutritionally balanced. And it’s worth noting that as with raw, the environmental impacts of lightly cooked fresh food are significant, because of its dependency on meat.

One option, if you prefer fresh food for your dogs, but still have an eye on the environment, would be to try out a brand like Tuggs, which is a fresh food brand that combines insect based proteins with animal to try and offset some of its carbon impact. It can be a great way of exploring insect proteins with your dogs, whilst still keeping an eye on the environment.

So that’s our top 4 chart for you! Obviously this isn’t exclusive, and there are some missing off this list (e.g freeze dried raw, cold pressed dry), but it gives you a generally good idea of how digestibility and nutrition might work across a range of feeds. As ever, being careful about which brand of any food you go for, and looking carefully at their nutritional claims is key to ensure a healthy, tasty diet for your dogs.

Conclusion

So as you can see from reading this blog, deciding what to feed your dog is often about weighing up multiple different options and possibilities to decide on what feed might best suit your dog’s needs, your lifestyle, budget and your ethics. However one thing we know for certain is that feeding your dogs a balance, protein rich and flavoursome diet doesn’t always mean having to compromise on the environment. If you want to pop in store to discuss some of this with us, or try out some samples of some of the foods we have in stock then just give us a shout!